Method

1.

To make the pastry, combine the flour and butter in a food processor until fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar and egg and pulse until it forms a dough. Chill

2.

To make the Victoria sponges, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, slowly add egg yolks and vanilla, then whip up the egg whites until thick and firm peaks. Stir sifted flour into the cake batter with 2 tbsp milk. Then fold in the whipped egg white. Pipe into individual cake tin sections and bake at 180C for 14 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

3.

Make the macarons by blitzing the icing sugars and almond meal in a food processor and sieve into a large bowl. Whisk the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a mixer until firm peaks (about 2 minutes) add pink colouring towards the end. Then fold into icing sugar mixture until smooth. Pipe tiny macarons out on baking paper and leave to form a skin, and then bake at 150’C for 10-12 minutes turning half way through.

4.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry and place into individual tartlet moulds, then blind bake them at 180’C for 8-10 minutes or until cooked. Leave to cool.

5.

To make the chocolate cakes, blitz all the base ingredients in a food processor until it forms a ball. Push down into moulds and bake for 10 minutes at 180’C

6.

To make the mousse, Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of water to soften. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick, heat the milk in a pan until just warm and pour into egg mixture, pour all the mixture back into the pan and warm on the stove until it gets to 80’C on a thermometer. Then stir in the gelatine leaves until dissolved. Break the chocolate into a bowl and place a sieve over the top, pour the milk mixture into the sieve, leave for a few minutes and then combine with a whisk until smooth, fold in the hazelnuts. Then pour over the chocolate sponge until half way up the tins, then place another piece of sponge on top, and pour mousse to the top of each. Spread evenly and refrigerate.

7.

To make the strawberry and hibiscus curd, place sugar, hibiscus, strawberry puree, eggs, yolks, lemon and lime juice, and cornstarch into a large glass bowl. Whisk all the ingredients to combine and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until it thickens and gets to 170’C (about 5 minutes). Take off the heat and stir in the butter, strain the curd and set aside to cool slightly.

8.

Make the jam by heating the raspberries and mashing up slightly to release their juices, then add the sugar and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until it passes the freezer test.

9.

Make the ganache by pouring hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth, leave to cool and then whip with an electric whisk.

10.

To make crème patisserie, warm milk on the stove with the vanilla seeds and pod. Separately whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick add flour and whisk, and then add in some hot milk and whisk. Add milk slowly until all combined, strain and return to the stove to cook until thick, cover in glad wrap and refrigerate.

11.

Next make the pavlovas, pop the sugar in the oven to warm, then whip the egg whites with the crème of tartar until firm peaks form, then gradually add the sugar. Whip until it forms firm peaks and is glossy, then whip in cornflour and verjuice Pipe individual mounds onto baking paper and bake in the oven at 130’C for 20-25 minutes or until firm on the outside, turn the oven off and prop the door open and leave in there for another 30 minutes or until they are dry.

12.

Whip up some Chantilly cream with 300ml thickened cream and icing sugar. Use for Victoria sponge cakes and meringues.

13.

Toss the bananas in sugar and place on a hot frying pan for a minute each side until just caramelised.

14.

Make the toffee by heating the butter and sugar until melted, then add the condensed milk and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Set aside to cool, then pour over half the meringues and then top with bananas, then add some more toffee, Chantilly cream and top with meringue top.

15.

Assemble cakes

16.

Cut Victoria sponges in half, fill with cream and jam and top with a sprinkle of icing sugar.

17.

Assemble the pavlovas with cream, toffee and caramelised bananas, top with icing sugar.

18.

Take the chocolate cakes out of the moulds, cut each one into 3 slices with a hot knife. Make chocolate toppings by tempering the dark chocolate, by heating it to 46’C, cool to 35’C, add cocoa butter and cool until 31.5C. Spread onto polished acetate paper and when tacky, cut into strips. Place weight on top.

19.

Pipe dots on the chocolate slices, then top with tempered chocolate slab, and then a piece of gold leaf.

20.

Make glaze by bringing jam, sugar, glucose and lemon juice to a rapid boil, add hibiscus and boil for 5 minutes, strain and heat again and brush hot onto strawberries and blueberries on the tartlets.